FROM JOSEPH FARAH'S G2 BULLETIN

Ankara stepping up demands over commando raid

Several dead when blockade-running ship boarded

F. Michael Maloof, contributing writer for national security affairs for WND and G2Bulletin, is a former senior security policy analyst in the office of the secretary of defense, and is author of "A Nation Forsaken."

WASHINGTON – Even though U.S. President Barack Obama got Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to apologize for the May 2010 Israeli commando attack on the Turkish humanitarian ship Mavi Marmara – which was trying to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, Turkey has signaled it may not be enough, according to report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.

With the apology and a settlement on compensation for the eight Turks and one Turkish American killed in the commando raid, Israel thought it could help restore diplomatic relations to the level it was prior to the event.

Even then, relations weren’t all that stable, due to Erdogan’s public outcry over Israel’s June 2010 bombing of Gaza.

Initially, Turkey seemed to accept the apology but now has raised the ante.

Now, Turkey wants Israel to completely lift the economic restrictions imposed on Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.

That doesn’t appear likely.

In addition, families of the Turkish nationals killed have indicated that they will pursue legal action in Turkish courts against Israel, even though it was thought legal proceedings connected with the incident would be dropped.

This has prompted a delay of a trip by an Israeli delegation to discuss compensation.

Analysts say that U.S. officials are worried that the delay in settling the incident could cause Turkey to continue attacking Israel’s policies in the region. Erdogan intends to visit the Gaza Strip in May.

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